KUCI 88.9fm

Sunday, July 28, 2019

BETTYIs an original activist pop band based in New York City. Alyson Palmer (bass/vocals), Amy Ziff (cello/vocals), Elizabeth Ziff (guitar/vocals) have toured the world together, sharing their shimmering, tight harmonies and evocative songs for over 33 years. The band’s politics are as important to them as their upbeat, infectious, at times poignant at times hilarious stage show. They use music to fight for a world that is fair for all.

BETTY has made amazing music on stage and recordings with many of their musical heroes, including Sia, The B-52’s, Roberta Flack, Bonnie Raitt, James Brown, Laurie Anderson, LeTigre, Cyndi Lauper and many more. Their music can be heard in films and on tv, including the global hit theme song to The L Word. The list of their artistic collaborations is long, including their upcoming performance in artist Darren Waterston’s reimagining of Whistler’s Peacock Room, Filthy Lucre, which they presented at Mass MOCA, the Smithsonian, and next at London’s V&A museum in 2020. That recording, as well as their original off-Broadway show soundtrack, BETTY Rules, directed by Michael Greif (RENT, Dear Evan Hanson) and the band’s nine other albums are available everywhere on iTunes and cdBaby.

BETTY: Girlband is the band’s fascinating podcast about life in underground pop music from the Reagan 80’s in bubbling Washington DC to New York’s 90’s music and art scene, to now. It can be found at helloBETTY.com/podcasts and all other pod spots.

In addition to playing music, BETTY created a non-profit with the help of equal rights leader, Gloria Steinem, called The BETTY Effect (thebettyeffect.org) that enables them to help promote self-advocacy through music and performance to women and girls, as well as LGBTQ people worldwide. They tour as Arts and Culture Envoys with the US State Department whenever Trump is looking the other way.

Leslie Page is an incredible vocal force with unique life experiences that resonate in the timbre of her rich tone, creating a deep, sultry sound all her own. At 16, she recorded on her ﬁrst vocal session in a studio. By the age of 25, Leslie was oﬀ, trailblazing around the world as a Lead Vocalist for Holland America Cruise Line. After 7 months at sea, Leslie begin her next adventure as a worship leader and carried a long standing residency at Mastros Ocean Club in Newport Beach. It was there she honed her vocal skills and stamina, singing a wide variety of songs and styles. Soon after, Leslie began writing with Grammy nominated songwriter and pianist, Lou Pardini (currently playing with Chicago the Band). This opened the door for her to begin singing background vocals for the legendary guitar player, Joe Walsh (The Eagles).

Leslie is also a seasoned studio singer featured on numerous recordings and album projects including songs written by world renowned bass player, Max Bennett (Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Joni Mitchell, etc) She has been described as a Pro’s Pro, having one of the ﬁnest and most adaptable voices you’ll ever hear and has been dubbed by producers as the “one take wonder”. Leslie is a woman who sings from the depths of her soul, with great tune and skill. She is truly a master of her instrument. She recently released her album, Heart Songs, produced by Tony Guerrero, featuring some new original tunes as well as covers of songs that speak to her heart. When she’s not on tour or in the studio, you can ﬁnd her in Palm Springs performing at two local restaurants, FARM Palm Springs and Tac/Quila, owned by her dear friends Mark and Liz Ostoich.

Monday, July 22nd, there will be a special one night nationwide 1,000 screening of THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING. This powerful documentary about gender disparity and discrimination in Hollywood was executive produced by Geena Davis, and directed by Tom Donahue. Ivan Williams was invited to be part of making this wonderful highly acclaimed film a reality.

You will leave the theater enlightened and moved, especially, when you hear the original song performed and written by Andra Day (see below).

Singer and songwriter Andra Day has announced her collaboration with the documentary film "This Changes Everything" on a new song "Side By Side." The anthem is intended to encourage people of all genders to come together to support media that enables parity in the entertainment industry, and Day also said that the song was "written, performed, engineered, and produced by women." Billboard

On Monday July 22, come see "This Changes Everything" and learn about the powerful roles women occupied in Hollywood early on, how they almost disappeared overnight, and what some courageous female directors did to confront the system in more recent times. This is a film for both men and women to see, since everyone will be needed to make a difference.

Ivan Williams is an executive producer and an executive vice president for a Hollywood story development firm called Scenario Entertainment. However, Ivan’s career has spanned several industries. Besides being a chemical engineer, he has been a senior business leader at several major energy companies (ARCO and BP), an entrepreneur who helped create a film production studio, and a tech media startup company, all on top of producing multiple entertainment projects.

These projects include executive producing films like KNIGHTS OF BADASSDOM which starred Ryan Kwanten, Margarita Levieva, Steve Zahn, Summer Glau, Jimmi Simpson, Danny Pudi, and Peter Dinklage, BIG STONE GAP that included Ashley Judd, Whoopi Goldberg, Patrick Wilson, Jenna Elfman, Anthony LaPaglia, John Benjamin Hickey and Jasmine Guy, a short film called THE SHIFT that was directed by Italian luxury goods film maker Francisco Calebrese, and even co-producing the film M.F.A. that Francesca Eastwood and Clifton Collins Junior starred in.

Ivan is currently in post-production on a Woodstock music festival documentary called CREATING WOODSTOCK and a major animated feature called THE ARK AND THE AARDVARK. He is also attached to a Geena Davis executive produced document, that is about gender inequality in Hollywood, that is called THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING. This film world premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and was the named first runner up for Best Documentary, right behind FREE SOLO.

Besides films, Ivan also was an executive producer on the Broadway musical and original cast recording of FIRST DATE that starred Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez, and he executive produced a Web TV series with Alexandra Roxo and Natalia Leite called BE HERE NOWISH SEASON 2. Outside the film and tv production world, Ivan has been active in creating entertainment related tech startups, including Rivit TV and a micro-story telling app and game company.

In addition to roles in the entertainment industry, Ivan is very engaged with the University of California Irvine (UCI) and Oregon State University. He is on the UCI Foundation Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Dean’s Arts Board of UCI’s Claire Trevor School of the Arts, a member of the UCI Graduate Division’s Dean’s Leadership Council and the Claire Trevor School of the Arts Emergent Media and Design Initiative, and an arts & entertainment industry representative on the advisory board member of the UCI Center for Neurobiology Learning and Memory Institute. Ivan even steps into the classroom as an adjunct professor at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business, where he lectures on topics like entrepreneurship in the creative industries, and the changing world of Hollywood filmmaking.

Ivan is also a committed alum. He is the incoming President of the UCI Anteaters in the Arts - West organization that serves the greater Los Angeles and Orange County alumni community, and he is an active member of the Oregon State University Alumni Association Board of Directors, where he obtained his bachelors degree in chemical engineering Besides being a UCI Paul Merage School of Business Dean’s M.B.A. Scholar, Ivan is a decorated veteran Naval Reserve intelligence officer who is now active with Film Independent, the Sundance Institute, and the Producers Guild of America.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The film is called Badass Beauty Queen: The Story of Anastasia Lin and is, of course, about the incredible former Miss World Canada and human rights activist, Anastasia Lin. She will speak to Janeane about the film and her experiences.

Anastasia burst onto front pages when her father, living in China, was threatened by Chinese security forces because of Anastasia’s public stance on China’s human rights violations. Unbeknownst to her, she had been declared ‘persona non grata’ by authorities preventing her to represent Canada at the 2015 Miss World Pageant in Sanya, China. Her attempt to enter the country landed her on the front page of The New York Times, an appearance on CNN and articles in Der Spiegel, Cosmopolitan and other major media outlets. Despite not being able to compete in the finals that year, Anastasia became the beauty queen who captured the world’s attention. Drama, danger and fear followed her as she used her platform to bring the world’s attention to the Chinese Regime’s persecution and forced organ harvesting of prisoners of conscience. All of this occurred while Anastasia dealt with the heartbreak of endangering her own father’s life—choosing between speaking out and staying silent was a constant dilemma.

Invited again to represent Canada at the 2016 Miss World Finals, this time held in Washington D.C., Anastasia was ultimately silenced by the Miss World organization, a British corporation with numerous Chinese business ties. During the pageant, press clamored for interviews while Anastasia faced increased pressure as her father’s situation worsened. Prevented by the Miss World organization from going to the media to shine a spotlight on the persecution, which had become the only way to protect her father, Anastasia contemplated dropping out of the pageant. Anastasia put everything, including her father’s safety and a chance at the crown, on the line to stay true to her conscience.

Badass Beauty Queen is incredibly inspirational and a call to action for anyone who has ever felt that they want to make a difference in this world. The film features never-before-seen footage of Lin’s struggle to bring global attention to the issues of religious freedom and organ harvesting in her native China.

“Do It Again” along with their covers of The Youngbloods’ "Get Together" and T. Rex’s "The Motivator" will appear on their debut album, The Motivator which is set for release August 2, 2019 on Blue Élan Records and is available for pre-order.

Cherie & Brie are also set to perform songs for the very first time from the new album at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on Thursday, August 1. Tickets Available Now.

The Motivator was produced by the six-time Grammy nominated Dave Darling (Brian Setzer, Stray Cats, Janiva Magness, Tom Waits) and features nine classic covers by bands including The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, and John Lennon, plus three powerful new originals, “Too Bruised,” “I’m Too Good, That’s Just Too Bad” and the topical “This Is Our Time.”

Guests on the album include a host of family and friends who came in to do backups, including Currie’s sister, actress Sondra Currie, her ex-husband, actor Robert Hays; friends, Susan Olsen of Brady Bunch fame, Leslie Koch Foumberg, and actress/director, Allison Scagliotti. Darling’s brother, Henry Berry is on “He Ain’t Heavy”; and brother Phil Berry does a guitar solo on the Kinks tune “Do it Again” while her sister, Rory Berry Bishop plays drums on Thunderclap Newman’s “Something in the Air.” Patti Quatro—Suzi’s sister and a member of Fanny—plays guitar and sings on “For What It’s Worth.”

The Runaways front-woman and solo artist, Currie, met the Fanny drummer and singer, Darling, in 2017 and immediately connected. Currie had come in to contribute vocals to Fanny Walked the Earth, a reunion album from the trailblazing Fanny, the first all-female band signed to a major label (Reprise) in 1969. Though the two musicians were certainly admirers of each other, they had not yet met until that session. Once connected, the idea to continue collaborating was hatched and soon the idea to record an album was solidified.

It was decided they would record an album of cover songs that resonated with the duo. The covers chosen mostly share—unintentionally—a socio-political resonance that’s as relevant today as when the songs were written. “The original album concept was that Brie was going to sing a few, I’d sing a few, and we’d back each other up,” furthers Currie. “But I knew our voices really work well together. On T. Rex’s ‘The Motivator,’ Brie did a great soulful rock scratch vocal but maybe I have more of a tough rock quality to my voice, so I think Dave decided I was going to sing it. But in my head I heard a duet, me doing the first verse, her on the second verse….and that started the dialog of using our voices together as a concept. Our voices complement each other, so we decided we should share the majority of these songs, because it makes them better.” Producer Dave Darling says, "It's extremely rare to have two such powerful vocalists in the same band. Cherie's a steam roller and Brie's a flame thrower. That just doesn't happen!"

Alex Azmi is an Emmy Award Winner Filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA. He is interested in documentaries and narrative films that deal with social and human issues. Alex is dedicated to producing high quality films in collaboration with talented artists in the US and around the world.

ABOUT THE FILM

This heartwarming, sometimes heart-wrenching cinematic documentary will draw you into a world the likes of which you've never seen. A fascinating society of Gibbons and their Guardians in a remote conservation center. Adversity will test the center's resolve, yet the fun and joys of these singing apes, especially Violet, will capture your soul.

The film also highlights the plight of the gibbons in the wild and the sacrifices of the people who love and care for them. The film shows the leadership of a few women who, at the time of crisis and despite the personal cost, rose to face major challenges and save a center.

LOS ANGELES – June 24, 2019 -- Violet is Blue: A Tale of Gibbons and Guardians, an award-winning short documentary, will screen at LA Film School on Saturday, July 20th at 7:00 PM. The screening will be followed by a Q&A and reception. Proceeds will go to The Gibbon Conservation Center, a 501-C3 a not for profit corporation.

From Emmy Award winner Executive Producer/Director Alex Azmi, Producer/Editor Saturn Award winner Michael Thau and Producer Dan Watt, comes this heartwarming, sometimes heart-wrenching cinematic documentary that will draw you into a world you’ve never seen before: a fascinating society of Gibbons and their Guardians in a remote Conservation Center. As adversity tests the Center's resolve, the fun and joy of these singing apes- especially Violet, will capture your soul.

The film displays the leadership of a few women who, at the time of crisis and despite the personal cost, rose to face major challenges and save The Gibbon Conservation Center in Santa Clarita. Violet is Blue also highlights the plight of the gibbons in the wild and the sacrifices of the people who love and care for them. These animals exist in the shadow of extinction, facing numerous challenges including deforestation, hunting, and the illegal wildlife trade.

AWARD WINNING DOC SHORT “VIOLET IS BLUE: A TALE OF GIBBONS AND GUARDIANS” SPECIAL SCREENING

Screening to be Fundraiser for The Gibbon Conversation Center on 7/20 at LA Film School

Gibbon Conservation Center

A non-profit center to promote the conservation, study and care of gibbons through public education and habitat preservation

AWARD WINNING DOC SHORT “VIOLET IS BLUE: A TALE OF GIBBONS AND GUARDIANS” SPECIAL SCREENING

Screening to be Fundraiser for The Gibbon Conversation Center on 7/20 at LA Film School

LOS ANGELES – June 24, 2019 -- Violet is Blue: A Tale of Gibbons and Guardians, an award-winning short documentary, will screen at LA Film School on Saturday, July 20th at 7:00 PM. The screening will be followed by a Q&A and reception. Proceeds will go to The Gibbon Conservation Center, a 501-C3 a not for profit corporation.

From Emmy Award winner Executive Producer/Director Alex Azmi, Producer/Editor Saturn Award winner Michael Thau and Producer Dan Watt, comes this heartwarming, sometimes heart-wrenching cinematic documentary that will draw you into a world you’ve never seen before: a fascinating society of Gibbons and their Guardians in a remote Conservation Center. As adversity tests the Center's resolve, the fun and joy of these singing apes- especially Violet, will capture your soul.

The film displays the leadership of a few women who, at the time of crisis and despite the personal cost, rose to face major challenges and save The Gibbon Conservation Center in Santa Clarita. Violet is Blue also highlights the plight of the gibbons in the wild and the sacrifices of the people who love and care for them. These animals exist in the shadow of extinction, facing numerous challenges including deforestation, hunting, and the illegal wildlife trade.

The screening will be on Saturday, July 20th, 7:00 PM at the LA Film School, 6353 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 90028. The film will be shown at 7:00 pm, with a Q&A with the filmmakers and the Center’s directors, with a reception to follow. Tickets are $25 (Adults), $20 (Seniors) and $15 (12 years old and younger). To purchase tickets, go to: https://www.gibboncenter.org

Alex Azmi is an Emmy Award Winner Filmmaker based in Los Angeles, CA. He is interested in documentaries and narrative films that deal with social and human issues. Alex is dedicated to producing high quality films in collaboration with talented artists in the US and around the world.

Michael Thau has worked on many celebrated features and television shows including The Goonies, The Lost Boys, Scrooged, Tales from the Crypt, and the Lethal Weapon series. Michael restored Superman - The Movie, directing and producing acclaimed documentaries about the groundbreaking film. Recently Michael produced and edited Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, reinstating the majority of the director’s “lost” material, including the never-seen-before last screen appearance of Marlon Brando. The film won the prestigious Saturn Award.

Dan Watt is a documentary filmmaker interested in stories exploring the human experience, the arts, and the protection and conservation of our planet and wildlife. Dan currently has a feature film in post-production examining the arts and children, and another film in production honoring women and their journey through life.

For more details on the screening, please contact Deborah Gilels at 818-758-6509/ddgilels@prodigy.net, or email VioletisBlueDoc@gmail.com

In the age of immersive digital technology and social media, why is astrology--a tool as old as the stars--suddenly making an explosive come back?

According to Aliza Kelly, the astrologer for Cosmopolitan Magazine, and author of the just released Starring You, astrology perseveres today for one simple reason-- it makes us look within.

The hot new summer release, Starring You (Little Bee Books; June 11th, 2019) by Aliza Kelly is an interactive and essential guide to astrology. In an interview, Aliza Kelly describes how astrology fosters empowerment, the practice of empathy, and a guide to self reflection. Aliza invites everyone--from astro-curious mothers and daughters to singles looking for love--to uncover secret strengths, hidden talents, and core truths

. From the basic like instructions to find your sign to the more complex gathering of wisdom from the planets, and understanding your place in the zodiac. As readers learn about themselves, they'll deepen their connections to their friends, family, and even crushes.

Plus, readers will learn:What to do when everything goes haywire--aka Mercury's retrograde? How to guide their true selves and encourage fill the pages with their discoveries.

This guide also covers:-The History of Western Astrology-The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac-Sun Signs-Secret Signs-Personal and Outer Planets-Moon Phases-Eclipses-Retrogrades-and how to use astrology in daily life!

Maps, a time line, an index, and gorgeous illustrations make this full-color guide the perfect introduction to astrology and a beautiful cosmic portrait of you!

Aliza Kelly is a New York City-based astrologer and writer. Aliza is the author of two books, The Mixology of Astrology: Cosmic Cocktail Recipes for Every Sign and Starring You: A Guided Journey Through Astrology. Aliza's horoscopes and columns appear in Cosmopolitan, and her work has been featured in Allure, Vogue, Paper, Bustle, Refinery29, HuffPost, and Girlboss. In her private practice, Aliza hosts monthly workshops and provides chart reading for clientele. She can be found at alizakelly.com.

LISTEN to today's conversation with featured guest Carla Sameth!Beautifully written, with incredible candor, on race, class, drugs, sexuality, and quite literally having the fire underneath you drive your deepest desires into reality. Carla Rachel Sameth is both brave and relatable in her struggles, and ultimately, a guest who will leave you feeling like we can overcome adversity to both give and receive love.

“Carla Sameth has seen it all—and she’s the perfect guide to show us the poetry she found. Like motherhood itself, One Day on the Gold Line will break your heart in all the right places and put it back together a little differently.”—Ariel Gore, Author, Editor/Publisher of Hip Mama

“Race, class, drugs, sexuality, otherness…21st Century American hot-button issues are on full display in this brave, gritty, unflinching memoir.This is a “feel-good” book not because it’s fuzzy and vague, but cause of its clear-eyed, truth-telling love.”

—Sue William Silverman, author of The Pat Boone Fan Club, Love Sick

"One Day on the Gold Line, kept me riveted. Sameth tells deeply moving personal stories about overwhelming yearning and love that make you frighteningly vulnerable, finding the courage to face the worst, losing the person you were in your youth and discovering her again. This is a truly beautiful book."—Lillian Faderman, author of Naked in the Promised Land: A Memoir and Harvey Milk: His Lives and Death

“There is so much to admire in these warm, funny, and deeply human tales of love, sex, motherhood, and other adventures. Carla Sameth never gives up on herself, and her readers will never give up on her.”—Héctor Tobar, author of the New York Times bestseller: Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine and the Miracle That Set Them Free.

While escaping from a burning boat, Carla realizes that if she died, her one regret would be not having children. She overcomes miscarriages to finally give birth to a son. Motherhood’s usual struggles are then complicated by identity, community, and the challenges of creating a blended family. The overarching theme of these loosely woven reflective tales is the storyteller’s dream of the “perfect” family, the pursuit of which hurls her from one crisis to the next, ultimately meeting its greatest challenge in the form of her teenage son’s struggle with drug addiction.

Through essays on race, culture, and family, One Day on the Gold Line (July, 2019) tells the story of a lesbian Jewish single mother raising a black son in Los Angeles. A memoir-in-essays, it examines life’s surprising changes that come through choice or circumstance, often seemingly out of nowhere, and sometimes darkly humorous—even as the situations are dire.

Carla Rachel Sameth has taught creative writing to incarcerated youth through WriteGirl and teaches at the Los Angeles Writing Project at California State University Los Angeles and with Southern New Hampshire University. Carla's writing has appeared in various anthologies and publications including Brain, Brevity blog, Child; Narratively; Longreads; The Nervous Breakdown, and MUTHA. Carla has an MFA from Queens University in Charlotte, and is a member of the Pasadena Rose Poets. Carla was selected to be a 2019 Pride Poet with the City of West Hollywood and was a 2016 PEN in The Community Teaching Artist. Carla lives in Southern California with her wife.--

Sunday, July 7, 2019

THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF BEES (on sale July 9, Thomas Nelson) by Rachel Linden (author of Ascension of Larks and Becoming the Talbot Sisters). When Mia West is unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend on their 6-year anniversary and she’s let go from a Seattle bakery due to downsizing, she feels adrift and alone. Can a humanitarian trip providing aid in India and Hungary give her new perspective and the courage to pursue her dreams? After some misfires abroad, she comes to terms with her own personal shortcomings including her self-serving savior complex (we all might feel a bit seen…and dragged), and returns to Seattle ready to take charge of her life. For fans of Jo Jo Moyes and Elin Hilderbrand, The Enlightenment of Bees is like a fictional Eat, Pray, Love for anyone unsure of whether they can start over and how.

Praise for the book:

“Mia…has a true connection with the people she is serving, all while learning more about herself…. Linden deftly combines excitement, romance, strong character development, and an empowered female protagonist. This novel is a good suggestion for Christian fiction readers, even without an overtly religious overtone.” —Booklist, starred review“Consider this book your summer passport” – Working Mother“A feel good book that will heighten your sense of adventure this summer.” – Bookbub “I combed through the pages with delight. This book is going to cause a real buzz.” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times-bestselling author

Potential talking points:

Her personal experience working for 7+ years in global humanitarian aid based out of the UK and Hungary where she worked on assisting women in trauma and Syrian refugees in 2015

The important lessons learned, especially in terms of giving/aid that really makes an impact and isn’t funneled into pockets or wasted on unnecessary resources (such as transporting truckloads of unusable, soaking wet clothes like sheer tops and mini-skirts to Muslim refugee camps)

How the worst wedding weekend of her life (summer is wedding season!) in Florida inspired the shark-chase scene featured in the book

How her sweet grandma Sally inspired the Nana Alice character in the book - discussing the geriatric love story of how her grandmother found love and a new lease at life at 79 years old, spending the next 10 years traveling the world with her high school drama partner turned Prince Charming

How baking grounds her in her own family history (growing up homeschooled in Ohio) and empowers her to create community around her wherever she is (even, and sometimes especially, when she’s on the other side of the world).

The writing life - her office is her 1985 Westfalia van named Max so she’s able to travel the Pacific Northwest while she writes!

About the author:

Rachel Linden is a novelist and international aid worker whose adventures in over fifty countries around the world provide excellent grist for her writing. Rachel has spent 7+ years working in global humanitarian aid based out of the UK and Hungary, where she worked on assisting women in trauma as well as Syrian refugees. Visit her online at rachellinden.com; Instagram: rachellinden_writer; Facebook: authorRachellinden.